The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-01-27

Stone, the famous soldier and engineer who
built the pedestal of the Statue OF Liberty,
died suddenly at his home in this city at
l:SO o'clock yesterday afternoon. He was
attacked with pneumonia a few days ago, but
no one SUPPOSED that he was in the slightest
danger of death He had been preparing to
go to New Orleans, and in fact his trunks
were packed when he was taken i'll and went
30 the bed from which he never rose.
Gen. Stone was born in MASSACHUSETTS, and
entered West Point as a cadet in July, lS41.
After his graduation he served in the mill
tary academy as professor of history and
ethics, and was stationed at Fort Monroe,
Virginia, during the Mexican war, but was
Ongaged during the siege of Vera Cruz. He
was breveted first lieutenant in lS41 for gal
liant and meritoriou5 conduct in the battle of
Molino del Rey, and was honored so again
for the same reason and breveted captain
after the battle of Chapultepec.
In 1856 he resigned from the regular army
and moved to San Francisco where for two
years he was engaged in banking, and two
years later became chief of the scientific
commission in tbs service Of the Mexican
government. When the civil war broke out
he again joined the army, and served as in
spector general of the District of Columbia
volunteers, and was active in the defense of
the city of Washington. After taking part
In the capture of Alexandria, Va, in 1861, he
was appointed brigadier general, and COM
manded brigade during Gen. Patterson's
operations in the Shenandoah Valley He
was imprisoned at Fort Lafayette in 1862,
for alleged misconduct in the field He was
confined for several months without any
charges having been preferred against him.
He was released on August l6, 1852, and no
explanation was ever made to him 10y the
government for his long confinement.
In his recent work J. C. Blaine refers to
the Imprisonment Of Gen. Stone at consider
able length, and characterizes it as the most
unjust conduct on the part of tine government
officials After his release he served in the
Biege Of Port Hudson, and was one Of the
commissioners to receive its surrender, and
as chief of aft of Maj. Gen. Banks was en-
gagged in the skirmish of Bayou Teche and
the battle of Sabine Cross Roads. He was
mustered out of the volunteer service on April
4, 1854, and while waiting for orders was
given command of the Fifth army corps be-
fore Petersburg in the following August,
and retained command until after the surren-
der in September, 1864. He resigned from
the army on September lS, 1864, and took up
his residence in Virginia.
Gen. Stone was engineer and superintend-
ent of the Denver Mining company, of
Goochland county, Virginia, from 1875 to
1869. He was appointed brigadier general
Chief of staff in the Egyptian army, March
30, 1870, and ferik pasha (grade next to field
marshaD September, 1878. He was inspector
general, ex-officio of the Egyptian military
schools, many of which he organized or re-
organized sipce 1S70, and in 1871 was general
aid de camp to the khedive For his vau-
able services he was decorated commander
of the Order of Ormanieh, October, 1870,
and grand officer of the Order OF Medjidieh,
January 24, 1875. He was elected member
of the Egyptian institute in 1872 and made
commissioner Of frontier and coast defense
In 1872, Of the superios commi sson of agri-
culture in 1875 and the board of senior gen.
erals to form new conscription law in 1877.
He was vice president of the commission to
organize an Egyptian section for the inter
national exhibitions at Vienna in 1873, at
Philadelphia in lS71-76, and Paris in 1878,
and of the Khedival Society of Geography
in 1875.
When England planned her Egyptian
campaign Gen. Stone was offered the COM
mand of the forces to be sent to the Soudan.
He declined because the war commission
would not allow him the $4,000 men he asked
for and deemed necessary for the under
taking. Strong pressure was brought to
bear on him to manage the campaign against
El Mahdi, but he predicted just what hap
pened to Gen. Stewards forces because Of the
smallness of the numbers.
The American committee was organized at
q meeting of the Century club in 1874, and
that committee formed an executive COM
mittee, of which Gen Stone was appointed
ongineer-in-chief. In 1877 the United States
government turned the control Of Bedloe's
Island over to this committee. From. the time
Of his appointment as engineer-in-chief until
the completed Statue of Liberty was &C.
cepted by the president, Gen. Stone was in
constant personal charge of the construction
and of the pedestal and statue.